DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES
2008 WRIA 9 Lobbying Program
DRAFT November 7, 2007
Purpose
Ensure adequate financial support for implementation of WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan by increasing state and federal legislators’ support for relevant legislation. Also obtain other necessary changes to legislation.
Objectives
· Legislators are aware of WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan and how it fits into larger Puget Sound salmon recovery and even larger Puget Sound ecosystem restoration (graphic above)
· Legislators understand the good work being done in their districts
· Legislators understand that salmon habitat recovery is a partnership between local, state, and federal partners
· Legislators support specific funding legislation (listed below)
· Legislators support changes to state legislation needed to support local government participation in salmon habitat recovery including:
o Policy IN2: Support a shorelines exemption for properties affected by salmon habitat restoration projects that would relocate the location of the ordinary high water mark. (WRIA Forum chair and staff met with Ecology Director Manning in July 2007 to discuss this issue.)
o Policy I16: An appropriate level of mitigation funding should be re-directed (either on-site or off-site, whichever is applicable) toward Habitat Plan priority actions in the distinct habitats outlined in Policy MS1 in Chapter 5 (Duwamish Estuary transition zone habitat; Middle Green River, Lower Green River, Duwamish Estuary, and Marine Nearshore rearing habitat; and Middle Green River and upper Lower Green River spawning habitat).
o Changes to the state hydraulic code to make the “approval” part of Hydraulic Project Approval less automatic for significant projects, especially in the marine nearshore
Funding Legislation
NOTE: Still to be added are numbers/names of legislation, when they become available.
We have endeavored to make our requests consistent with (although not necessarily identical to) efforts by others working on Puget Sound recovery and salmon recovery. This should maximize the impact of our messages and make it easier for legislators to approve desired legislation.
Legislation / When / Who Helps / NotesFederal: Primary for WRIA 9
SUPPORT Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund (federal share of Salmon Recovery Funding Board) of $XX million in 2009 budget / As part of city lobbying of Congress members
As part of WRIA-organized field trip / City elected officials
WRIA staff/city electeds
SUPPORT Green/Duwamish Ecosystem Restoration Project (G/D ERP) appropriations request of $XX million in the 2009 Energy and Water Development Appropriation Act / As part of city lobbying of Congress members
As part of Corps-organized “yellow bus” field trip / All elected officials and particularly those from King County, Kent, Auburn, and Renton / As of early November, the 2008 EWDAA was in conference committee; Senate proposed higher amount ($2 million)
Water Resources Development Act: language on land match valuation / Next WRDA (possibly not until 2009) / As of early November, Congress was preparing to override President Bush’s veto of 2008 WRDA
Federal: Secondary (Not Exclusive to WRIA 9 but Important for Overall Recovery)
Support for Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration General Investigation, USACE, request of $XX million in the 2009? Energy and Water Development Appropriation Act / Anytime as part of city lobbying of Congress members / City elected officials
Support for Puget Sound and Adjacent Waters Construction, USACE, request of $X million in the 2009? Energy and Water Development Appropriation Act / Anytime as part of city lobbying of Congress members / City elected officials
State: Primary for WRIA 9
SUPPORT Puget Sound recovery / 2008 legislative session, specifically:
- City Legislative Action Conference of the Association of Washington Cities on XXXX
and
- Lead Entity Legislative Day (if it occurs) / All cities and King County / 2008 is the second session of the biennium and budgetary action is limited. It is unknown whether any further funds will be appropriated for Puget Sound.
Other?
State: Secondary (Not Exclusive to WRIA 9 Habitat but Important for Overall Recovery)
Support for WDFW programs/projects (programmatic)
Salmon Abundance and Productivity Monitoring Framework (Governor’s Forum) (programmatic)
Salmon Habitat and Watershed Health Status and Trends (Governor’s Forum) (programmatic)
Hatchery Reform: “Salmon and Steelhead for the 21st Century”
Soos Creek Hatchery reconstruction (capital) and operational changes (programmatic)
Approaches/Tools
Primary
· Need to identify 2-3 legislators who will champion WRIA 9 priorities. Initial contacts should be made in 2007.
· Meetings with legislators and their staffs by local electeds in groups or on city-by-city basis in the course of other lobbying
· State legislature lobbying including:
§ City Legislative Action Conference of the Association of Washington Cities at the Capitol
§ Lead Entity Legislative Day at the Capitol (if it occurs in 2008)
· Several elected officials from WRIA 9 will visit Olympia to meet with legislators in a trip to be scheduled
· Field trips by van, kayak, bicycle, and/or plane; at least one trip a year, ideally in late spring or summer; WRIA staff to organize
· “Yellow bus tour” by Army COE focused on Green/Duwamish Ecosystem Restoration Project
Secondary
· Invitations to groundbreakings and other celebratory events
· Quarterly e-mail summaries (?)
Messages
· Protecting salmon and water quality also protects human health and quality of life, for us and for future generations. This is not “just about fish.”
· Watershed salmon habitat recovery is an essential part of restoring Puget Sound and thus the Puget Sound Partnership. Salmon habitat projects are designed to help the entire ecosystem.
· Salmon habitat recovery depends on a partnership with state and federal governments.
· These partnerships have already produced numerous successful habitat protection and restoration projects that are making the watershed a healthier place for both people and fish. (See also “WRIA 9 Accomplishments 2006-2007” at end of this document.)
· Local governments are doing their part through their adherence to growth management, enacting sensitive areas regulations, managing stormwater to ever higher standards, and carrying out habitat restoration and protection projects. WRIA 9 and 8 local governments already are going beyond what other local governments are doing by jointly funding salmon habitat recovery implementation management through interlocal agreements. WRIA 9 also relies on a partnership with the King Conservation District that devotes additional local resources to salmon habitat recovery.
Resources
· One-page summary of WRIA 9 salmon recovery
· One-page summary of Green/Duwamish Ecosystem Restoration Project
· “Making Our Watershed Fit for a King” posters
· List of projects that are “ready to go” and can move forward with proposed/additional funding (to be prepared)
· “Green packets” that include information on the Green/Duwamish Ecosystem Restoration Project successes and future needs. These will be revised to add more photos and delete/bulletize text. (to be revised)
Other Ideas
· Create summary of funding received from various sources
· Obtain help from lobbyists at each local government and the Port of Seattle
· Enlist Steering Committee members to help lobby
· Figure out how/when to partner with Puget Sound Partnership
Federal Legislators in WRIA 9
Senator Patty Murray
Staff to work with: Ardis Dumet
Senator Maria Cantwell
Staff to work with: Shakti Hawkins, Joel Merkel (D.C. office), Lisa Cipollone
Congressman Jim McDermott: 7th District - Seattle, Vashon/Maury Island
Staff to work with: Darcy Nothnagle; Sean Hughes (D.C. office: manager of appropriations requests)
Congressman Dave Reichert: 8th District - Covington, Maple Valley, Enumclaw, Black Diamond, part of Renton, part of Kent, part of Auburn, unincorporated King County
Staff to work with: possibly Kevin Kelly (D.C. office)
Congressman Adam Smith: 9th District - Federal Way, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, Burien, Tukwila, part of Renton, part of Kent, part of Auburn)
Staff to work with: Debra Entenman, Joy Loy (D.C. office: staffer of Energy and Water Appropriations)
State Legislators in WRIA 9
WRIA 9 participants who have contacts with legislators are listed in parentheses.
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36th (Seattle: Magnolia, Queen Anne)
Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D
Rep. Helen Sommers, D
Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, D
43rd (Seattle: Downtown)
Sen. Ed. Murray, D
Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D
Rep. Frank Chopp, D
37th (Seattle: SODO)
Sen. Adam Kline, D ( Jay Covington)
Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, D (Tim Clark, Jay Covington)
Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D (Jay Covington)
11th (Seattle: Duwamish, Tukwila, Renton)
Sen. Margarita Prentice, D (Jay Covington, Joan McGilton, Steve Mullet)
Rep. Zack Hudgins, D (Jay Covington, Joan McGilton, Steve Mullet)
Rep. Bob Hasegawa, D
34th (Burien, Seattle: West Seattle, Vashon-Maury Island)
Sen. Erik Poulsen, D (Joan McGilton)
Rep. Eileen Cody, D (Tim Clark, Joan McGilton, Steve Mullet)
Rep. Sharon Nelson, D (Dow Constantine)
33th (SeaTac, Normandy Park, Des Moines)
Sen. Karen Keiser, D (Tim Clark, Joan McGilton, Steve Mullet)
Rep. Shay Schual-Berke, D (Tim Clark, Joan McGilton, Steve Mullet)
Rep. Dave Upthegrove, D (Tim Clark, Joan McGilton, Steve Mullet)
47th (Auburn, Covington, Black Diamond)
Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D (Bill Peloza, Tim Clark)
Rep. Geoff Simpson, D (Marlla Mhoon, Tim Clark)
Rep. Pat Sullivan, D (Bill Peloza)
5th (Maple Valley)
Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R
Rep. Jay Rodne, R
Rep. Glenn Anderson, R
31st (Auburn, Algona, Enumclaw)
Sen. Pam Roach, R (John Wise, Bill Peloza)
Rep. Dan Roach, R (John Wise, Bill Peloza)
Rep. Christopher Hurst, D (Bill Peloza, Pete Lewis)
30th (Federal Way)
Sen. Tracey Eide, D (Steve Mullet)
Rep. Mark Miloscia, D
Rep. Skip Priest, R
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WRIA 9 also has taken Senator Ken Jacobsen (46th District, D) on a tour of the watershed in December 2005.
WRIA 9 Accomplishments 2006-2007
· Won a VISION 2020 award from the Puget Sound Regional Council for the WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan; one of the best regional planning projects in Puget Sound.
· Awarded $8.2 million in major grant funding for implementing high priority, targeted Chinook salmon recovery habitat projects.
· Awarded $2.45 million in King Conservation District grants for either high priority salmon recovery projects or other protection and restoration projects.
· Completed the Seahurst Seawall Removal and Restoration Phase I project--Burien.
· Completed the Olympic Sculpture Park nearshore restoration project--Seattle.
· Completed the Camp Kilworth nearshore habitat acquisition project--Federal Way.
· Renegotiated the location and scope of a $1 million Salmon Recovery Funding Board project--Kent.
· Received a $200,000 grant (that augmented previous funding) from the SRFB for a habitat restoration project on the Enumclaw Plateau, the County’s largest Agricultural Production District—King County.
· Developed a coordinated State legislative lobbying program for the 2007 session; 17 local governments and many other member organizations implemented the lobbying program (speaking with one voice).
· Negotiated a new ILA among 17 local governments; confirmed King County as “service provider” and “fiscal agent.” Developed and obtained Forum approval of the 2007 and 2008 Watershed Coordination Services budgets and work programs.
· Initiated discussions for addressing:
o Harvest, hatchery, and dam operations;
o Changes to the Salmon Habitat Plan based on monitoring information; and
o Water quantity (particularly flows of the Green River) and quality as key factors in recovering Chinook salmon and achieving a healthy watershed.
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